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Corvallis approves Patterson's contract for becoming next city manager

The Corvallis City Council approved a three-year contract with Sherwood City Manager Jim Patterson today with Patterson expected to begin working for that city on Oct. 17, the Corvallis Gazette Times is reporting.

Patterson has been city manager in Sherwood since August 2008. Prior to that, he served as assistant city manager and as the city's first urban renewal district manager after a career in the private sector.

In early August, Patterson was named one of two finalists to be considered to run the city of 56,000.

The other candidate was Terrie Battuello, of Bothell, Wash.

Contacted Monday afternoon, Mayor Keith Mays said he was happy for Patterson.

Patterson's contract with Sherwood calls for giving a minimum of 60 days written notice prior to a voluntary resignation.

Mays said assuming Patterson reaches an acceptable contract with Corvallis, the Sherwood City Council will discuss the next steps in the process, which could include the possibility of selecting an interim city manager before launching a search for a replacement.

According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Corvallis' interim city manager "estimated that the total first-year cost of hiring Patterson (including salary, benefits and relocation costs) could be in the neighborhood of $225,000, which falls within the city's adopted budget estimate for the city manager cost for fiscal year 11-12 of about $236,000."

Patterson's salary in Sherwood is about $119,500 annually. He's asking Corvallis for a three-year starting contract with an annual starting salary of $140,000 with the rest of his contract still under negotiation.

Earlier in August, Patterson met with Corvallis business leaders and city department heads in a process he called 'pretty intense.' On Aug. 16, Patterson and Battuello returned to Corvallis for final interviews before the Corvallis City Council.

'I have a lot of emotions which are rattling around in my head,' Patterson said Tuesday.

He said he's excited about the opportunity and challenges but also is thinking about everyone he has come to know in Sherwood. Patterson's wife Valorie has worked as a fitness instructor at the Sherwood Family YMCA for the last 10 years and all three of his children attended Sherwood schools.